Jasmine Koo Wins Third Straight Individual Title, as USC Earns No. 1 Seed at East Lake Cup

Women’s Golf | October 28, 2024

ATLANTA – Freshman Jasmine Koo outpaced the rest of the field, winning her third straight individual title by three strokes. No. 5 USC claimed the No. 1 seed heading into match-play as the squad was six-under par in the stroke-play portion of the East Lake Cup on Monday, Oct. 28, at the East Lake Golf Club. 

Koo becomes the second Trojan to win the East Lake Cup individual championship: Robynn Ree (2017). The freshman is the second USC golfer to win three straight events; Annie Park won three consecutive events to end the spring during the 2012-13 season. 

“I was just reading the putts really well, I think yesterday I was able to see the greens really well too,” Koo said. “Small targets and small mistakes, that was the mindset I went with today and it really worked.”

The freshman pulled out all the stops in this one-round challenge, as she birdied nine of the 18 holes. Koo used all those birdies to collect a 65 (-7), tying her best round for the season. Right from the start, she dominated, birding five of her first seven holes as she posted a 32 (-4) on the front and a 33 (-3) on the back nine. 

USC ended up first in the field, as it clinched the No. 1 spot heading into the match play portion of the East Lake Cup. The Trojans will face cross-town rival UCLA in the semifinals. The Bruins finished fourth at nine-over par. On the other side of the semifinals, LSU will face Oregon. 

For the second-straight tournament, the leaderboard went Koo, followed by junior Catherine Park. Park was second in the field at four-under par, as she had a bogeyless back nine to guide her into the second spot (33, -3). 

Sophomore Bailey Shoemaker secured herself a top-ten placement with an even-par round. Shoemaker used a birdie on No. 18 to push herself into the seventh spot, as she was one of seven players to stay at or below par. 

Freshman Kylie Chong provided the last counting score as she tied for 16th at five-under par. Senior Xin (Cindy) Kou tied for 20th with a 79 (+7). 

USC faces UCLA in the semifinal of the East Lake Cup starting at 7:30 a.m. PT/10:30 a.m. ET tomorrow at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Ga. The winner of that matchup will face the winner of the Oregon/LSU match on Wednesday for the East Lake Cup Championship.

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